New Liebherr R 980 Demolition for Hercal
Company sets the standard with purchase of the largest demolition excavator in Spain and Portugal
CATALAN contractors Hercal have invested in the first Liebherr R 980 demolition excavator in the Iberian Peninsula, firmly establishing itself as the flagship of the company’s machinery fleet.
The new machine, the largest demolition excavator in Spain and Portugal, marks a significant qualitative leap in Hercal’s service offering, providing clients with a unique, innovative solution tailored to their needs. The new R 980 excavator will work on Hercal’s high-altitude demolition projects and mechanical demolition, where time and performance are vital for their clients.
A benchmark in the circular demolition sector, the contractor has always been renowned for going the extra mile when it comes to innovation and quality.
‘Our goal is to be at the forefront of circular demolition, so it’s essential to have powerful, reliable, state-of-the-art machinery, capable of undertaking complex and sophisticated projects with the highest standards of quality and safety,’ said Marcos Calleja, chief executive officer of Hercal.
Based in Terrassa (Barcelona), Hercal have heaped praise on the 60m-plus reach of the new Liebherr R 980, which allows them to meet client demands for safe mechanical demolition projects, compared to using manual demolition or blasting. The new addition to the fleet will also allow the business to carry out demolition work at a height of 20m using 15-tonne attachments.
José Calleja, Hercal's general manager, commented: ‘The main application areas for the R 980 Demolition will be challenging demolitions at great heights over 40 metres or complex projects ranging between 20 and 30 metres in height, or mechanical demolitions where time and performance are vital for our clients.’
The Liebherr R 980 demolition excavator for Hercal is the first of its kind to be delivered to the Iberian Peninsula. ‘This is an important turning point in our growth plan and in our commitment to sustainable demolition. We want to continue to grow and have the capability to offer an increasingly bespoke response to the demands and needs of our clients,’ continued José Calleja.
Hercal have been a loyal recipient of Liebherr machinery for many years. Evidence of this can be seen across their fleet, including an R 938 crawler excavator, the LH40 material handler with combined grapple and shearing equipment, the L 580 XPower and L 566 XPower wheel loaders, and the LR 636 crawler loader.
The machinery fleet works around 160 hours a month on earthmoving and demolition projects, both on-site and at Hercal’s H-ZERO construction and demolition waste-recovery plant.
The R 980 Demolition is the largest in its category, a multi-purpose machine with an operating weight of 200 tonnes, featuring telescopic equipment and a reach of 60 metres. Designed and engineered after months of study, testing, and modifications, Liebherr have produced a machine that fully meets client expectations.
Manufactured by Liebherr-France SAS, the R 980 excavator model is available in four demolition variants with reaches of 21m, 26m, 36m, and 55m. The 21m and 26m models can carry up to 15 tonnes, whilst the 36m version handles seven tonnes and the 55m unit up to three tonnes.
